Summers End: When Should I Stop Treating my Pond?

It is the fall season, the temperature is getting cooler, but you still see algae in your pond. You might be asking yourself: “should I still treat my pond?” This is a very common question asked by our customers and the answer depends on what you are trying to achieve.

Algaecide:

Naturally, algae begin to clear as the water temperature drops. This can be a slow process. Depending on what region you are in, your pond may still have algae late in the year. If this is an aesthetic concern for you, you intend on using this pond for swimming, etc. you may consider using Proclear to accelerate the algae breakdown process.

Bacteria:

Bacteria is always beneficial for breaking down nutrients in your pond. As algae dies off in autumn, it contributes to organics in the water. Adding bacteria will reduce your pond’s nutrient load to promote water clarity. NaturalClear Pond bacteria treatments are recommended until the water temperature drops down to 5-7 °C. At cooler water temperatures, bacteria will metabolically slow down. Once the water temperature drops below 5 °C, bacteria processes will slow down to the point it is no longer economical to treat. Our NaturalClear Pond Plus and NaturalClear Lake formulas contain a cold-tolerant species that is more efficient in cold water, but our biologists still recommend not treating once water temperatures drop below 4 °C. During the winter, bacteria treatments are put on hold. During this time, please keep any remaining product of bacteria or algaecide properly sealed and in a warm dry place. Do not let it freeze. You can return to your normal pond schedule again in the spring once the stable water temperature is at least 5-7 °C. Although your pond might be clear in the spring, this is a good time to get ahead on preventative pond maintenance before weeds become a problem. 

For more information or if you have questions don't hesitate to contact us at sales@pondpro.ca